


Country’s Rails

by herima



Category: Django Unchained (2012), Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: A LOT of canon divergence, American History, But still remains somewhat canon, F/M, Fix-It, Freedom Fighters, Graphic Violence, High Honor Arthur Morgan, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Slow Burn, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:28:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25174627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/herima/pseuds/herima
Summary: Luna and Milagro are on the run from their ‘Boss’. But their henchmen caught up with them and the girls get separated.Milagro just so happens to run into the Van der Linde Gang who are seeking shelter after a ferry job gone wrong in Blackwater.
Relationships: Arthur Morgan/Charles Smith, Arthur Morgan/Charles Smith/Original Character(s), Arthur Morgan/Original Female Character(s), Charles Smith (Red Dead Redemption)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	1. Freedom

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first time doing a story.. bare with me if it sucks- or if the alternating is annoying 
> 
> this is also my first Red Dead writing! I’m linking american history with other history to really spice it up.

The burning ache in her lungs as it fought to warm the cold air she breathed as they kept running. The echoes in the forest of hooves and enraged yells by men made the goosebumps on his skin rise as she ran with Mila in her arms since she was unable to keep up due to not wearing shoes. 

At some point she started crying while running knowing it was too good to be true. Of course they’d come looking for them. He wouldn’t let them go so easily. 

“Milagro.. Hey— Hey, Mila?” The little one groaned in response to being placed on snow covered floor. “Run that way. Get to those abandoned cabins we saw. Hide. I’ll come get y—“ 

“N-No—“ 

“No! Listen to your big sister. Don’t look back. Go Milagro!” 

With a sniffle Mila nodded her head and ran off as fast as she could battling the icy snow against her toes and held her cries back as she continued her run. Not looking back as she was told. 

She watched as Mila ran off as fast as she could and soon started sliding her hands over Milas foot prints to prevent her being followed. The yells of the men with torches brought her out of her trance, causing her to stumble a little before getting back to her feet. 

At some point they were going to catch up. But she wasn’t going to let it happen. Not after everything she’s done. She won’t let herself get caught. At least not Milagro. She’d rather die. 

\- - ┈┈∘┈˃̶༒˂̶┈∘┈┈ - -

Milagro was beginning to feel the bite of the cold but she finally made it to the cabins they’d found and upon slamming through the doors desperate for some warmth she slammed in closed. Battling the strong wind of the cold. Once she’d gotten inside she started breathing hot air into her hands as she noticed a fire place. After wiping away her boogies she remembered what her sister taught her about starting fires and to stay warm. 

She was able to find some stray wood lying around but she didn’t know how to do the rest. She just knew she’d briefly seen her sister smash some rocks against each other and they did a spark. But she didn’t have the magic rocks. She didn’t have her sister. She was alone and cold. And before she knew it she started wailing out of nowhere no matter how hard she tried to be strong for her sister. She couldn’t help it. 

Mila just wanted her sister back by her side. So she started crying out for her unbeknownst of the door opening behind her as she hiccuping and cried her heart out now for her ‘Mama’. 

“Excuse me little lady?” 

Mila jumped at the sound of a voice other than her sister and immediately cut the crying and grabbed the little shiv her sister made her for emergencies. 

“Don-Don’t take me back! Please! I don’t wanna go back!” She squealed holding the shiv out as the older man stepped inside another man followed soon shutting the cold out. 

“What’re you talking about?... My name is Hosea, and this is my son Arthur,” Hosea made a gesture at the man by his side not losing his cool despite the girl holding a shiv. “What’s your name?”

“M-Milagro.. But I like Mila..” she mumbles losing her grip on the shiv as she realized they didn’t know what she was referring to. Maybe they were nice people. 

“You’re awfully young.. Runnin’ around during a blizzard.. You by yourself Mila?” The man beside Hosea says, she remembers he was Arthur. 

That triggered her to start crying again and Hosea looked to Arthur with a frown. He was looking to work up to that question not rush straight to it. Anybody could tell from her beat up clothes and bare toes she was running from something. And it wasn’t a planned run. 

“No- She.. We ran- We-!” Hosea took steps forward and kneeled beside her. Gently brushing her messy hair out of her eyes. He’d never seen anyone in the south look like this. Though he didn’t linger on what she was and morally what she was trying to say. 

“Breathe Mila.. Arthur lets get our new friend some blankets and bring her to the main cabin. She’s ice cold.” 

\- - ┈┈∘┈˃̶༒˂̶┈∘┈┈ - -

“Come on! Stop runnin’ lady you can’t out run a damn horse!” A voice said as they seemed to come to a stop noticed her footprints stopped. She looked to her quiver counting three arrows. There wasn’t enough. Not enough to take them by distance. One v. six. Surely this may be the end. But she had to try. She couldn’t stand the thought of letting her sister die to a blizzard.

She prepped her arrow and struck the one she recognized that’d spit at her. Bullseye. 

\- - ┈┈∘┈˃̶༒˂̶┈∘┈┈ - -

“What the— The hell you get a damn child?” Dutch says after Hosea pulled Mila out from under his coat and put her to the floor. “Easy Dutch.” Hosea says whilst gently patting Mila on the head. “Can we get some blankets and— Arthur could you get socks for her?” He asks to which Arthur obliged. 

“Hey buddy..” He says upon walking up to Jack. “Uncle Arthur? Who’s that?” he asks immediately rising to his feet. “That uh.. That’s Mila— Listen Jack you think Uncle Arthur could borrow a pair o’ yer’ socks?” he asks to which Jack giggles unknowingly. “Don’t Uncle Arthur got bigger toes?” 

“I sure do! But they ain’t for Uncle Arthur they’re for Mila-“ 

“Oh.” The little face he made, made Arthur hold in a laugh. “I’ll ask mama where they are.” 

\- - ┈┈∘┈˃̶༒˂̶┈∘┈┈ - -

“So, Hosea says he found you in the cabin ova there..” Dutch starts as he kneels beside Mila who’d been bundled up with blankets and was seated on a chair. He’d given her some tasteless broth Pearson scrapped together to get her warm. “Hosea says you got a friend?” 

Milagro had calmed down a bit but was still shaken with worry and fear. “Sister.” She corrected with quick-wit. “We we’re running from- from big scary men.. We aren’t supposed to leave but.. We did,” she explains through sips. 

“She told me to run here, we passed it while running a-and she said she would come get me but.. I’m scared.. They were six men.. They killed Bessie.. Our horse..” 

Hosea hid his wince at the name and just nodded his head at her words from behind Dutch who was also listening intently. 

“Got er’ socks,” said Arthur as he passed it to Dutch who kindly asked if it was okay to put them on her before touching her. They didn’t wanna trigger her fight or flight. 

“You know which way she went? Maybe we can help?—“ 

“I hope..” she started crying again. “They said once they catch up they’d make us eat bullets for din’..” 

“Maybe there’s still time Milagro.. Give us a direction, and we’ll do our best ‘kay?” Comes Arthur from the side which surprised Dutch. The blizzard may be calming down but it was still cold and anything could happen out there. 

\- - ┈┈∘┈˃̶༒˂̶┈∘┈┈ - -

“Francesco! Shit! Take co— Ack!” Right in his nasty sore covered throat lied a arrow and before he knew it everything went black and he slid off his horse. 

One more arrow left and she saved it last for that man who was always a creep towards Mila. As she took the shot she heard hooves behind her in the distance and quickly started running causing her to slip up and slide off the sloped hill and roll towards the horsemen. 

Knowing she had no arrows left she went for her sword, but she took quite the fall and all wind was knocked out of her. But she knew they were coming she could hear the last three men’s feet slide through the crisp snow. Everything was blurring together till she remembered her promise and quickly snapped out of it with a big gasp into the cold air. 

The cocky man was stepped over her making goofy laughs as he went to reach out to her. And that was his demise as she used her last bit of raw strength to slice his head clean off. Some of the blood spattered onto her face making her grimace in pure disgust. But there was two left and she was sure it was going to be a miracle if she won this. 

With shaky legs she rose to stand against a tree and listened calmly trying to stable her breath, holding the grips on her sword tightly. Once she heard the man coming up to check his friends body she lazy stabbed him in the gut, hoping he’d bleed out before he could shoot her but of course he used his last bit of enragement and shot her in the side but the cold and adrenaline distracted her from the wound for now. 

The last man came into view. The one she hated the most. The one that gave her nightmares. But her sword was a few feet away. Bow on her back without an arrow to her name. She didn’t realize he was on top of her till her struggle to breathe became even more of a struggle. She weakly struggled against his hold choking out as she tried to use the blade on her shoe but it was faulty and wasn’t coming out. 

Just as it was about to go black as her ears were beginning to painfully ring suddenly his brains were all over the floor and he was kicked off her to the side. 

“You alright Miss?” Said the grizzled up man as he went to help her up. Arthur was just in time. Hosea was right by his side and slid off his horse to take a look and see if there was anyone left. Though his eyes lingered on the decapitated man and the other who had a sword still impaled in him. He’d never seen a sword like that only in books about East Asians. 

She’d risen to her feet shakily trying to keep her balance, hair clung to her sweaty skin, and her face was bloodied but it wasn’t her own. He could tell. 

“M’fine— Go bout’ your business..” she says going towards her sword to sheathe it before grunting in pain as she realized her wound. 

“We got Milagro. Sent us after ya!” Hosea says reaching out to help the young woman stand properly. “Well take you to her—“ 

“How did you?— Wait who?—“ 

“No time to explain Miss, ya’ got a bullet wound that needs to be looked at. You look paler than a Russian doll might I say.” With that the shock and cold finally hit and she fainted in Hosea’s arms despite how hard she fought the fatigue. 

“Jeez. What the hell—“ Arthur finally noticed the decapitated head and whipped around to Hosea. “That’s what I thought— Come on lets get this woman outta here.”


	2. A New Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luna is back at the cabin in the Grizzles and finally wakes up from her slumber. 
> 
> She’s prompted with an option.. One that doesn’t include running forever anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hm.. i don’t have much to say other than this is a short chapter and dialogue heavy :) 
> 
> i had a lot of fun writing this chapter and i can’t wait to release the next

“We already got that poor woman-“ 

“Sadie.” 

“Yeah, Sadie. You think we can take care of another child and a woman? I’m not—“ 

“Dutch. The child is right there goddamnit, we will talk about it later no and or but’s!” Hosea whisper yells as he glanced over at poor Mila sat restless by her sister who was patched up. Thankfully it was a graze and didn’t pierce anything or she’d most likely be bleeding out. It was a miracle. 

Mila still had some tears falling down her cheeks as many thoughts started flooding her mind. She may be mature for seven, but she was still a child at the end of the day and was small for her age. No matter how she wished she could grow in an instant and be strong already to protect her sister. She felt weak and useless. 

“Mila?” She hummed in response to her name being called but didn’t look up, eyes still locked in her sisters face. Arthur was coming over to sit by her side, “Watchin’ her like a hawk ain’t cha’?” he says trying to lighten the young girls mood. At least she had her sister back by her side and was still breathing. That’s how he saw it at least. But he could tell by the girls furrowed brows she wasn’t going to rest unless she saw her sister open her eyes. 

“You should get some rest y’know—“ 

“I should’ve stayed..” Mila said barely above a whisper 

“Wha’ was that?” Arthur removed his hat to put it on his lap since it moved weirdly when he leaned up against the wall. 

“I could’ve fought with her.. N..” she hiccuped trying to hide her cry creeping up on her, “And she told me to run away to this place,” 

“Well.. I think that was real strong of you, listening to yer’ big sis’..” He thought of what he would’ve done and he most likely would’ve been a stubborn child and stayed. Who knew what would’ve happened if they were together in that blizzard with no one knowing they were out there. “Now yer’ here to take care of her, you did the right thing trust me.” Arthur says giving her a pat on the head of her unruly hair. “Why don’t you go on to Miss Grimshaw and she can get you ready for bed.. I’ll watch yer’ big sis like a hawk,” 

Mila liked Arthur. He was the one that carried her sister inside. The one that wiped her face of the crazy men’s blood before handing her off to Miss Grimshaw. Miss Grimshaw was nice to her too. Making Mila feel like she was a help by keeping her temperature stable with a rag. These people were good in her eyes. And the little pat to her head made her smile as she wiped the drying tears away. “M’kay.. Thank you Mr. Morgan..” she says respectfully before rising to her feet to go over to Grimshaw who was expecting her. 

Arthur watched Mila go over to Grimshaw and smiled when the lady immediately pulled out a hairbrush to brush that unruly hair before bed. He turned his attention back to the woman on the bedroll noticing her younger sister looked like her. But her face was kissed by freckles along her cheekbones and eyebrows. Her hair was honey brown unlike Milagros who had a deep auburn kind of color. They had the same hair type somewhat. But it seemed Milas hair was more curly than her sisters. Arthur wondered what they were. Clearly they weren’t just one thing. Especially since their eye shapes were something he’d never really seen before. He’s drawn plenty before. But not these. 

He pulled his journal out secretly sketching the sleeping woman. It was mostly quiet other than Sadies soft cries somewhere in the cabin. Javier strumming a soft sad tune to himself. He started looking around again after a while realizing he didn’t know where Charles was and as he just about to walk off for a moment to look for him he was at his side. Wiping his hands against his pants. 

“Hey.” Charles’ calm voice cut through Arthur’s deep thoughts and he turned to him with a half smile to which Charles kindly returned. “Hey Charlie..” 

\- - ┈┈∘┈˃̶༒˂̶┈∘┈┈ - -

After a soft midnight conversation between Arthur and Charles just catching up with each other, Charles went off to his bedroll and Arthur stayed by Milas sisters side till he fell asleep. He promised to stay by her side and wasn’t one to break one. 

Arthur had woken up to Mila giving him a tap on the shoulder and was just the slightest startled by it since she was heavy handed with the tap. “Mr. Morgan? I can take over now,” she says before holding out a metal cup his way. “Mr. Smith said I should bring you some of this caife,” she speaks quizzically as she hands the drink off to him. Mila never understood how they drank that nasty stuff, herbs and tea was more her taste. 

Arthur noticed the way she said coffee like how Sean sometimes referred to it and was tempted to ask her something before shrugging it off and standing from the floor with a big stretch and groan. “Thank you kindly..” he says sipping at the drink. 

As Arthur was going to walk over to Hosea he was startled by the scream behind him and realized it was one of joy and turned around to see the once sleeping girl awake. 

“Luna! M’sorry I wasn’t there!—“ 

“Please Milagro.. I just woke up..” Luna groans as she sits up with a bit of a struggle since Mila took it upon herself to sit on her injured sister. Grimshaw made her way over and kindly shooed Mila off her sister. “Mila! you’ll crush your poor sister, why don’t you get her some coffee huh?” Mila whines as she stomped quickly over to the coffee pot by Charles. 

At this point everyone knew the new woman was now awake and of course Luna could feel all the eyes on her and felt very exposed. “Who’re you?” she ask sitting herself up clutching her side, “Miss Grimshaw.. Young lady wouldn’t stop talkin’ bout you, thought i’d never sleep” Luna hides her laugh at that before turning her head as Hosea came over by Grimshaw. 

“Glad to see you’re awake, and you are?” 

“Uhm.. Luna, Luna Zheng.. You are?” She extends her hand out for a shake forcing herself to stand despite her body’s little battle to stay in the bedroll. 

“I have never heard a name like that before.. Well, I’m Hosea Matthews— We found your sister in the broken down cabin tryin’ to start a fire,” he explains with a shake of his head. “Thought she was abandoned poor thing. You doin’ alright?” Hosea notices she was struggling to stand straight up. 

“Yes, I’m fine. Look, I appreciate everything you’ve done but I should be getting back on the road again—“ she groans in pain forcing herself to sit back down on the chair that was thankfully behind her. 

“Ma’am.. If you could wait a moment while I go talk to my colleague and let Miss Grimshaw take a look at your wound?” Luna nodded her head eyes still glancing over at Mila who was talking to a brawny man by the fire. 

While Hosea went to talk to the man with a bowler hat and a thick stache, she let the kind older woman take a look at her wound and let her change the bandages. By looks of their medical supply bag they were sparse on supplies, it made her feel like a nuisance if anything. 

The man in a bowler hat had come back over with Hosea. 

“Good morning! I didn’t get to introduce myself.. The name is Dutch, Dutch Van der Linde,” he says shaking Lunas hand and as he began to speak and fill her in on who the hell they all were. Since she could tell they weren’t all related and family. That’s when it began clicking in her head. She’d briefly heard of them. Saw the bounty up on the board of a town she was passing. Thank goodness for photographic memory. 

“Funny. Runaways run into each other.” she remarks to which Dutch snickers and was quick to correct. “Not runaways. But outlaws, and were a family somewhat.” he explains hands on his belt buckle. “You a runaway you say?” Dutch then quips 

Luna realized what she’d said and was quick to divert the conversation from that. “Those men don’t like folk like my sister and I.. They were on a chase for fun like it was a sport,” she lies straight through her teeth with ease. She’d only hoped that Mila followed what she said and to never elaborate to people she didn’t know. 

Dutch and Hosea seemed to fall for it by their facial expression and exchanged a look of empathy. “Well, I’m glad my boys found you when they did.. That would’ve been an awful way to go,” he explains as Hosea gives him another look. She could tell they had a long conversation prior. 

“How would you feel bout’ joining us? We may not look like much.. We just went through a lot, but we’ll be getting back on our feet and up and outta these Grizzles in no time. Plus your little sister seems to really like our people. I think consistency would be good for you two— Not that I’m tellin’ you what to do,” Hosea says carefully his voice laced with nothing but care and true heart. “I’ve seen what happens out there to people that ain’t consistent. Gets em’ killed..” After being in silence together Hosea speaks up again, “You can think on it till it’s time to pack out of the Grizzles. Then decide if you’re comin’.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope u enjoyed reading that, if u noticed any errors lmk if u think they r big ones andddd maybe what u think of it so far. 
> 
> also if there’s anything i get wrong abt red deads little details lmk OR if there’s little details yk abt red dead lmk! I only played RD once and that was only to horseshoe camp till i got sucked into the world of multiplayer hehehe


	3. Clairvoyant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luna and Charles go hunting for bison and along the way clear the air about something that had been bothering Luna.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there is a song in here that you could listen to if you’re interested! It’s ‘Noble Maiden Fair (A Mhaighdean Bhan Uasal)’ if you wanted to know what they were singing. You can kinda imagine the woman’s voice and child to be Mila and Luna. 
> 
> i hope u enjoy this one, i kinda wanted to introduce Luna and Charles friendship and how they are when together. I love building things ><

They were finally out of the snow and at their new campsite Horseshoe Overlook. Luna had fully healed and her skin was no longer mangled and raw, so she could finally do what she did best and was hunting for the camp and collecting herbs for Pearson to finally make him season the food. For the most part Luna liked to keep to herself. Between the Zheng sisters, Mila was very outgoing and was usually seen playing around with Jack or reading books together. 

Which Abigail made sure to tell Luna she was grateful for her sister, Jack was finally reading books and it wasn’t a forced thing. Luna was glad Mila had a friend and got along with everyone. Luna got along with everyone too but didn’t like to talk much. A woman of few words usually. Though she did sometimes listen to the girls gossip and sometimes throw her two cents in when she helped them wash clothes. 

They still had the Kieran boy. He was tied to a tree at the moment sadly. Luna herself never had an O’Driscoll experience, but she knew it wasn’t right to tie someone up like that. She sometimes noticed Mary-Beth giving him some stew or pieces of an apple. Despite hating O’Driscoll’s like the rest of the gang which the reason was unbeknownst to her ‘due to never being personally attacked’ she sure was kind to him. 

Though quickly after a huge argument during the following week Kieran was allowed to walk around and sometimes would chat with Mary-beth and herself. Though they’d only chat together when Mary-beth was around. Luna could tell he was sweet on her and it was cute. 

Luna wasn’t really sweet on anybody in camp though she has been flirted with by Javier and Micah. Though Micah would flirt with anything that had a vagina and breathed so she doubted it was because of anything else. 

“Luna?” She knew who it was and just hummed happily in response to them a little too immersed in her journal notes, “Can you brush my hair? Miss Grimshaw said I look unladylike.” she pouted her lips to her sister to really seal the deal. As she turned to Mila she realized how right Grimshaw was. Christ. 

“Alright. But at some point you’re gonna be doing it yourself. Takes forever to tame that mane of yours-“ she goes to her sister and grabs the brush. “Come lets go sit over by the ledge get some fresh air..” 

─────── ·𖥸· ───────

As Luna was brushing her ends she began to hum a hymn that their mother would sing to Luna while brushing her hair and she couldn’t help but start singing with clairvoyance which made Mila occasionally sing too, but she wasn’t too fluent in Gaelic like Luna was so it was a little slurred. But nonetheless Luna loved hearing her sister sing happily with her. 

At some point Mila got quiet and just listened to her older sisters mature voice sing to her. 

“A naeoidhean bhig, cluinn mo ghuth Mise rid' thaobh,  
O mhaighdean bhan  
Ar righinn oig, fas as faic,”   
“Do thir, dileas fhein.  
A ghrian a's a ghealaich, stuir sinn  
Gu uair ar cliu'sar gloire.”

Their mother wasn’t alive to see Mila, but she was crystal clear for Luna. The memories started calmly coming back to her and made her sing from her heart. Realizing she was doing things their mother would for Luna. Realizing she was raising Mila the way their mother would’ve. It hit her gratefully, she was glad she was raised kindly. And glad she had a sister. 

“A ghian a's a ghealaich stuir sinn Gu uair ar cliu'sar gloire.  
Naoidhean bhig, ar righ-inn og Mhaigh-dean ua shaill bhan.”

As Luna was finally done brushing Mila’s unruly mane and grabbed her baby hairs that weren’t growing and tied them out of her face with a pink ribbon Charles kindly gave to her since he noticed Mila didn’t have anything to tie her hair back. Mila was about to run out of her lap and into some mud with Jack but she quickly pulled her back. 

“Hey! You didn’t let me fix this..” 

“Fix what? Ah! Luna!” She giggled with a little squeal as her sister tickled her silly and gave her a big fat kiss to the cheek which made Mila sigh happily. 

“That little frown.. You’re beautiful Mila, very beautiful..” That made Mila smile sweetly as her rosy cheek was pinched. “You too.” Mila adds which made Luna blush not expecting her little sister to compliment her. To combat the embarrassment she teased her. “Whatever, get outta here booger face!” Mila laughed at that and instinctively wiped her nose on the back of her hand to make sure she didn’t have any boogers before running off. 

“Oh, Hi Charles!” Luna heard from behind her as Mila greeted the man who’d given her a little high five. 

“Nice bow Mila.” He complimented now making his way to Luna. 

She began to think how long he was standing there and blushed even more in deep thought. 

She hated anyone other than Mila hearing her sing. That was one of the many things she was private about. Luna could hear the leaves swaying under the weight of Charles. She waited till he’d greeted her to look up at him. The sun was blocked by his height so she didn’t have to squint when she looked at him through her lashes. 

“Hey.” 

“Hi..” Luna looked back over at Charles to see he was taking a seat on the stump next to her and thankfully he still blocked the sun from her eyes. He seemed to be making arrowheads from what she could see. Then the thought of their food stock hit her but she wondered if this was just their quiet moments. So she remained silent and played with the ends of her hair. She was in desperate need of a haircut. Her fathers words about keeping it short out of safety flew past her line of thoughts. 

“I was thinking about going hunting for some bison.. Saw a herd heading a little far off from here,” he explains curtly still cutting at the stick in his hand. Luna liked the idea, hunting to get outta camp and get some new meat. It’d been a while since they hunted together. Usually they hunted separate or Arthur went with Charles. 

“I’d like that?” It came out as a question making Charles look up from his task with a lifted brow, “I would!” She corrects herself a little too enthusiastically with her doe eyes wide. Her tone was only questioning due to her line of thought. 

“M’not questioning your answer,” he chuckles at her facial expression and she couldn’t tell if he was teasing her or making fun of her, but by the upturn on the side of his mouth she guessed it was teasing. She couldn’t tell really. It made her huff a sigh of annoyance to herself which made Charles turn his head a little. “I frustrate you?” 

“No, no.. I frustrate myself..” she admits softly fiddling with thumb realizing there was a little gunk under the nail. Charles still looked at her as she looked to her hands. He noticed she had trouble looking people in the eyes but he didn’t mind it. 

“Anyway.. When did you wanna go?” she asks suddenly brushing the ends of her hair even though they were already brushed. 

Charles smiled to himself before continuing his carving. “We can head out in a bit, Pearson said he wanted a favor from you I didn’t ask what it was though sorry.” 

“Oh i’ll get going—“ 

“You’re not on a timer Luna he can wait.” 

“Right.” Luna blushes again pursing her lips to try and stop herself from embarrassing herself any further. 

“Is there something you want from me?” Charles widened his eyes at this and Luna was still straight faced awaiting his answer. 

“Uhm no.. Not exactly,” he shrugs with a soft laugh finding himself blushing at her straight forward ness, putting the carved stick to the side to start another. “Just wanted to talk to my friend.” 

Luna looks back to Charles and smiles sweetly and Charles found himself doing the same. 

─────── ·𖥸· ───────

“Hell’re y’all headin’ to?” Pearson asks noticing his hunters were walking in a pair. “Gonna go hunting for some bison hopefully, if not we’ll bring deer back.” Charles says before saying he’d be going to prep the horses for their hunt. 

After Luna had taken Pearson’s request she headed over to Abigails tent to ask if she could have Mila sleep in their tent tonight incase Luna ended up camping out. 

As Luna was heading over to the horses quietly she heard gentle whispers between two people and found herself slowing her walk as she got closer and closer, “I’ll see you later then Charlie?” she heard Arthur say as she turned the corner and made eye contact with said man. Luna smiled when they made eye contact and turned to her own horse to get her things put on the saddle. 

“You goin’ with him Luna?” He asks though she personally thinks he knows the answer to the question and probably wanted to strike a conversation with his friend’s friend. “Mhm, looking to get bison hopefully,” she says placing her bow to her back and her blade to the straps on the horse. “Think you could get some mint or somethin’ while yer’ out? Need somethin’ to flavor Pearson’s god awful cookin,” he jokes causing Luna to giggle, her back was turned to them though so she didn’t see the look the men had exchanged till she turned around and found herself confused. “I miss something?” Charles shakes his head with a scoffed laugh and started saddling up onto his horse. “Naw, we just thought yer’ laugh was nice is all.”

Usually when people made comments about her she didn’t really find herself getting a big head about it, but coming from Arthur and presumably Charles, ‘since he said we’, who never compliment anyone made her turn around and saddle up to hide the blush. “Alright well. I’ll see y’all later be safe.” 

─────── ·𖥸· ───────

She ended up finding the group of Bison and as Luna was lining up her shot she inhaled a deep breath through her nose biting her bottom lip to steady the quiver it did when she tried to focus. It was a clean fast shot though she made sure not to hit the eye since she knew a lady that did stuff with them. Luna never asked what though, money was money. 

After watching the other bison run off in fear of being shot she rose from where she was crouched and fell back on her bum when she realized Charles was right behind her watching her take the shot. She hated how sneaky he was and was always wondering how a man his size moved so silent. 

“Nice shot.” Charles hides his smile behind his hand pretending to rub at his stubble as he held a hand out to help her stand up. 

“Thanks.. You wanna get it while I prep to clean the full hide? I’d appreciate it.” she says rubbing the dirt off her bum before rubbing her hands together to clean the dust off. Charles nodded and made his way down the slope rope and knives in hand. 

After she was done prepping the horse and her tools Charles was already up the hill with the hide and meat separated and in it’s neat wrap most likely salted already since he seemed to always carry it when hunting. As Luna was silently scraping the membrane from the hide and utilizing its brain to smoothen the inner lining, Charles had went off to wash his hands a little while ago. She was just about done working when the sound of thunder had struck, the sky looked to be filled with angry clouds above. The downpour followed and she wrapped up what she was doing with haste and went off to find Charles. 

Charles guided them to a hollow cave below them. It was deep enough for them all to be beneath and stay somewhat dry from the downpour. But Luna couldn’t help but shiver like a leaf in the wind as the sky rumbled constantly and thundered so often. She didn’t realize she’d been hyperventilating till Charles whipped her around toward him and asked her to breathe properly. 

“Luna? You alright?” He asks holding her by the shoulders firmly as she kept breathing shallowly. Charles had seen people act like this before but not where they looked like they couldn’t see anything and could see in their eyes that they thought the world was spinning. “You gotta breathe properly... Hey!” That scared her but thankfully snapped her out of it. “Breathe with me.” 

They stood like that for a while and Charles realized that was the longest he’d ever gotten to look into her eyes and noticed one of her eyelids had a double and one didn’t. Luna had small scars in some spots but the most noticeable one had been along her cheekbone. And hed noticed her nose was grecian-like and was buttoned by the nostrils. He began to wonder why it had taken him this long to look so closely. Not that she would let him be this close anyway. He noticed through trial and error she didn’t like being touched. 

“Charles?”   
“Yeah?..”   
Lunas hands stayed glued to her chest even after her breathing stabled. But something about Charles made her want it. He looked so warm and inviting.   
“Could I hug you?”   
Charles was like a deer after hearing a hunters whistle ready for his head to be blown off. But kept his cool and calmly nodded his head. She hesitantly gave him a hug and rested her head against his chest smiling to herself when he wrapped his arms around her in return.   
“I like being your friend Charles..” 

“You scared me at first..” She mostly was talking to distract herself from the thunder and bright light that came before it. “Biggest man I’ve ever seen. Stoic and mean faced..” Luna felt his chest rise and fall as he chuckled. “Gave me very few words any time we talked.” She was beginning to lay her weight into Charles but she didn’t realize and he didn’t seem to care. “Now we’re best friends.. And we talk.. About.. Stuff,” he laughed much louder this time and she found herself blushing and pulling away. “You know more about me than anyone in camp.. Even Hosea.. And Arthur,” she furrowed her brows a little wondering why she thought of bringing up Arthur. 

“I think Arthur doesn’t like me much though.. He likes you a lot though,” When she looked to Charles he had that unreadable face causing her to tense up. What she didn’t know was that he was waiting for her to inquire on that but she didn’t. That relieved him. “Arthur can be strange.. But trust me he likes you just as much as I do, he just doesn’t do a good job of showing it.” Luna realized in that moment that she may have misread Arthur.


	4. Misunderstandings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur clears the air between him and Luna. And along the way learns something new about his friend. 
> 
> Maybe Charles was right.. It’s okay to let more people in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had a lot of fun writing this and wanted to say i’ve been so obsessed with RDR2 And have been watching videos to try and help me stay canonical while still adding some spice and something new to the story. 
> 
> i hope u enjoy this chapter! <3 
> 
> PS if there’s any huge errors lmk sometimes transferring my writing to AO3 might get jumbled

“He likes you just as much as I do.”

Charles’ words hung in the back of Lunas mind every time she so much as glanced or heard Arthur’s name. She didn’t know why but she was intimated and ever since she talked with Charles about him she wanted to try and close the little gap between them, but she always found herself lacking in that department. 

─────── ·𖥸· ───────

“She thinks I don’t like her?” Arthur says between bites on the peach cobbler he’d bought from some bakery for him and Charles. Charles simply nodded in affirmation too caught up in the peachy goodness to really hold the conversation. 

“No cobbler till you explain this to me.” Arthur says now pulling back the peach cobbler from Charles’ spoon. 

Charles’ lips formed into a frown when he pulled it away but gave an answer nonetheless. “Told me you don’t talk to her for long and usually just talk to Mary-Beth and Mila,” Arthur’s mouth was agape when he heard this. There’s no way she thought he was ignoring her. He was just giving her space and allowing her to strike up anything she wanted to speak about since he knew she didn’t like talking much. 

“I do not... Well, to her I do— Jus’ a misunderstanding is all,” He explains before realizing what he said prior to that. “You said she hugged you?” Arthur asks with a interested look. 

“Yeah, she asked me for one.” He smiles feeling a strange tug to his heart strings at the thought of that warm hug. Arthur’s pure surprise on his face made Charles smile. “My reaction exactly.” 

─────── ·𖥸· ───────

Luna was brushing Taima’s mane since and was beginning a little braid into the mix while softly humming her favorite song again to herself, as she was finishing up a second braid she heard grass crunch under someone’s boots and immediately stopped singing. Hoping they weren’t in earshot of her voice. 

“Yer’ spoilin’ dear Taima,” Arthur comments watching her easily glide her fingers and create a pretty cornrow in the mane. 

Luna glanced at Arthur and gave a curt smile before turning back to the braid. “Nothing wrong with showing a little love through.. Something other than treats..” she comments tying off the end by just twisting the ends in on itself into a knot. 

“Does Hosea need me?” She asks beginning to brush Taimas strong neck. 

“Uh no—“ 

“Don’t tell me.. Mila got in trouble again? Or did Abby want something?” 

“No, I actually wanted to ask you somethin’,” That certainly brought her attention away from Taima and put her eyes on Arthur. Which he wasn’t expecting and only put more pressure on him. “Do you..” He noticed Charles a little ways away giving him a small wave before going to guard duty. 

“You wanna go fishin’?” Luna looked to her sides to make sure he wasn’t talking to someone else. He seemed to be looking at her though. That was certainly unexpected but not unwanted. But then she remembered something and frowned. 

“I’d like to Arthur, but I don’t know how to fish.” she whispered the last bit like it was a dark secret of hers which made Arthurs mouth pulled into a wide smile as he adjusted his trusty hat and Luna swore she saw the faintest show of a dimple as he smiled. 

“The huntress herself don’t know how to fish?” He teases, Luna pursed lips with a nod. “I’m only teasin’ ya.. I can teach you and maybe if you like you could bring Mila? And if Abigail is alright with it we could bring Jack too.” She sparkled at the thought of learning a new skill and having Mila and Jack have something else to do other than run around all day in mud and drive the girls mad as they washed the clothes up. 

─────── ·𖥸· ───────

Arthur had just finished showing Jack and Mila how to fish and looked back towards Luna who was patiently waiting for help. “Thanks fer’ waitin’, how do you usually fish anyway?” He asks readying his own fishing pole for Luna to use. “Uhm.. I just get in the water and wait by an edge and try to make them fall into a net, Or a shiv on a stick,” she explains to which Arthur trails on the thought of how creative the woman was. 

“That’s a few ways to do it.. Usually fishin’ ain’t really all for the y’know food.. It’s from the relaxin’ you get to do,” he says as she then shows her how to set up the line and how she can set her line in the water the most efficient way. Even how to jig the hook to catch fishes attention. 

When he’d looked away from Luna to see that Jack and Mila had given up on the fishes and instead were making flower crowns he sighed, not of disappointment but of content still glad he was having a good time. 

He’d learned from Charles a lot of things. And how toxic it could be to not embrace things that women liked. That it was okay to openly like flowers, and certain colors. Certain activities too like crocheting. Or opening up about his feelings which was extremely hard at first but he wanted to change for himself and Charles. And grew as a person. 

“This is calming,” Lunas voice pulled him out of his little daydream and back to the water. Following the bob that was calmly swaying with the current. “Sometimes I say I’m fishin’ just to come and sit here.. Nice and quiet,” he admits pulling an apple from his satchel beginning to slice it remembering Jack and Mila might want a little snack. 

“Really?” She snorts at that covering her face to hide her smile, “The fish is better company than I am,” Luna realizes with an agape mouth though Arthur could tell she was pulling his leg. “Naw, I like your company better than the fish actually.. That says a lot,” Arthur was trying to steer the conversation towards that. Trying to clear the air on what she thought of him. It mattered a great deal to him what she thought. Especially since Mila liked him quite a lot. He wanted her to like him too. 

─────── ·𖥸· ───────

“So what about you Luna.. What uh, what were your parents like?” At this point they’d forgotten about fishing and were just sitting on the ground, every so often looking at what the children were doing. Sometimes doing it in unison and chuckling amongst themselves. 

“I suppose I was waiting for you to ask.” She smiles to herself tucking some hair behind her ear, finding herself playing with a barely bloomed flower hoping it’d blossom before her eyes. “If you wanted to know what I am.. My mother was Scottish and my father was Chinese,” she mumbled a bit finding it odd to talk about herself. Luna didn’t really like doing it but Arthur seemed quite interested despite her initial thoughts. She faintly wondered if Charles put him up to this. 

“I ain’t never met someone Chinese and Scottish before, with a uh.. A Spanish name,” That’s when she realized she’d never given him her last name. Only Hosea, Dutch, and Charles seemed to want to know. “Our surname is Zheng, but my name is Luna because I was born during a full moon.. And Milagro well she was going to be Isaac but she ended up being a girl so,” She shrugs looking up at Arthur and noticed that sad glint in his eyes that she couldn’t read. “So, she got my mother’s late best friends’ name. That was a mouthful,” she tries to laugh and lighten the mood since she was very close to the subject of her parents whereabouts and she could feel it in the taste of the breeze. “So, what were you doin’ before Hosea-“ 

Thankfully, the children interrupted Arthur “Uncle Arthur can we go back now? I wanna give Mama her flower necklace!” Jack asks and Luna was quick to stand and patted her skirt of any dust or dirt. “Of course! I think it was time we headed back anyways, it’s getting a little dark,” 

─────── ·𖥸· ───────

Back at camp, fish-less and empty handed apart from the kids’ flowers that Micah made a snide comment on, to which John stepped up to him and almost fed him knuckles for dinner. Luna kinda wanted to see that sight. She didn’t realize Arthur was behind her watching her unload somethings and remove her saddle till she turned around to get dinner from Pearson’s pot. 

“Oh!— Hey, did I.. Did I miss something?” Arthur shook his head as he scratched at his nape utilizing his hat to hide his features. “I just wanted to say, to say that I like talkin’ to you.. Yer’ real smart and uhm.. I like hearin’ about yourself, so you should tell me more some time over some fishin’ maybe..” He shrugged unsure of himself as he finally looked up into her eyes and found she too was blushing. Though he couldn’t tell where it was placed and if it was on the same side as his. 

“I’d like that.. Maybe not over fishing, not exactly for me,” she laughs behind her hand and cleared her throat. “I’m gonna have some dinner by the water if you want.. Maybe uhm.. Maybe you and Charles could join me if you like,” she says suddenly feeling like if Charles wasn’t included he’d feel left out. Luna wanted to catch up with Charles anyhow. 

“I’d like that a lot Miss Za-Zay-“  
“Zheng.”  
“Right..”

Arthur is trying.


	5. Pirates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little day in the life of the children of the Van der Linde gang!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is filler so if u don’t wanna read u don’t have to but i think its nice to show a snippet of jack and mila. and also showcase a little bit of what Hosea and Milas relationship was like! 
> 
> hope u enjoy this, ive been editing the next chapter and i did some research on Charles since i’d never heard his voice before.... And.... Phew... His voice and Arthur’s.. I’ll be damned! LOL anyways enjoy

“Jack? Jaaaack!” 

“Mm. I’ll just read then.” 

Milagro was calmly reading a book right outside her and Lunas tent after having just finished an apple she was given and got her hair smoothed back into a low ponytail by Miss Grimshaw. After a while of reading she rolled onto her back and huffed a sigh of boredom. 

“What’re you up to little one?” Upon hearing Hoseas voice she shot up and wondered if he had any candies for her or a new book. He seemed empty-handed though, but she still hoped. 

“Reading.. It’s boring by myself,” 

“Oh right, forgot to tell you Abigail was giving the boy a bath at the moment. He’ll be back before you know it!” Hosea gave her a pat on the head before motioning for her to follow him. 

“Baths are serious business.” Mila says matter-a-factly and Hosea almost spit out his chewing tobacco at her tone. 

“You are too much young lady, why don’t you learn... How to read a map?” 

“A map?...” 

“Yeah! it is a very useful tool to have, I know Luna knows how. I think it’d be good for you too.” 

“Mmkay..” Luna takes a seat at the little table outside his tent and waits patiently for him to pull a map out. 

“You think you know where we are?” Hosea took a seat across from her and started shuffling his cards as he was gonna start a new game of Solitaire. 

“Mm.. Horseshoe Ov.. Overlook?... Here?” 

After giving a quick glance he nodded his head, “Yup, that’s right where we are.. You know which way we go to head out to Valentine?” 

Mila simply looked to the sky before pointing in the direction of Valentine. Hosea nodded his head. 

“Now figure out how you’d ride there by lookin’ on the map.” Then he started tracing the many lines on the map. 

“But watch for these. The more lines the higher from the ground you are. If they’re wider apart you can probably walk through, but if they’re all close-like this you wanna steer clear— Why don’t you draw your path with this pencil?” 

Mila was already invested in the activity and quickly snatched the pencil from Hosea. 

─────── ·𖥸· ───────

Mila was long finished with her lesson with Hosea by the time a cleaned up Jack came to view. “Mila? Wanna go play now? Uncle Arthur got me an extra sword, we can play pirates now!” 

She looked to Jack in confusion. “I already got one?” Mila says pulling her shiv from her boot. 

Hosea noticed this and nipped it. 

“Now young lady, when you play games you don’t need real dangerous knives to play. Don’t use that for no toy sword play.” 

“O-Kaay..” She sheathed her blade back into her boot and grabbed the toy sword Jack was holding for her before running off with him. 

─────── ·𖥸· ───────

“You are bested! Take your loss with honor.” Mila says pointing the end of her wooden sword to Jack before they both fell into a fit of laughter at how silly she sounded. 

“You’re funny Mila!” Jack laughs as Mila rolled to the floor with him. 

“Hosea saws I could be a.. A uhm.. I forgot how to say it, but they are real funny and make people laugh in those theatres!” 

“Oh! A jester?” Jack states picking on scuffed leather under his boot

“Mm.. I think so?” 

“My Ma says my Dad is a jester,” Jack suddenly says though he doesn’t have a huge deep thought about his mother’s words. Other than that it meant he was funny. 

“Is your Daddy funny too?” 

There was a bit of a pause in the conversation after Jacks question.  
“I like to think so,” she smiles thinking of some dad jokes he’d tell her in his native tongue. Though she realized the jokes weren’t that funny in english. 

“Where is he? Your Daddy,” Jack was beginning to pull at the grass underneath them. 

“I dunno, but I remember he was always working real hard, and had a limp,” 

Jack gasped thinking maybe he was secretly a pirate. “Did he have a wooden leg?” She laughed at the thought shaking her head, “No, he had legs. My daddy wasn’t a pirate.” 

“But he was a strong swordsman. That’s why Luna is a swordsman. My daddy said he was fighting against the.. These bad people! They were trying to take over his home and so he fought back, but I think he might have lost..” 

“Wow.. A sword fighter! He sounds like he a hero, even if he lost!” 

“Yeah, he is.” Mila said happily in present tense before the duo turned their head to the sound of Abigail that was calling them over for lunch. 

“Race ya?” Jack glanced over at his pal with a tooth filled smile. 

“Last one there is a rotten egg!”


	6. Sometimes Alcohol Does Help!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After another con well done with Hosea, the gang celebrates after getting a few hundred dollars. 
> 
> Amongst the celebration arises a light weight that says just a little too much and makes everyone’s head churn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had so much fun writing this. I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as i do! 
> 
> i only did one review of it so if there’s any big mistakes I’m sure i’ll see it when i review it another time. 
> 
> anYways enjoy

After a well planned con with Hosea gone way right, Luna and himself made out with a good amount of money and jewels to be sold. Those rich folk didn’t know what hit em’. The art gallery was dripping with folk that didn’t know how to protect their items right. And Hosea and Luna had limber hands. Perfect duo. 

Luna asked Hosea to bring the loot to the box instead since she was still struggling to get off the horse due to the corset, it wasn’t suffocating just foreign. She was grateful Karen did her corset she understood ladies needed to breathe. Once she finished giving her horse Ne Zha a treat, she quickly went over to Pearson’s pot to grab what was left and greeted everyone quickly so she could go and eat in her tent. 

“Woah! Amiga, estás preciosa.” He compliments to which Luna gave him a friendly punch to the shoulder. “Thank you Javier.” She was just about to escape from everyone when Sean stopped her in her tracks. 

“Aye lass you’re jus’ gonna run to ye tent like an ogre? Stay an’ chat with the gang!” The surrounding people gave a happy sound of encouragement, “Hav’ some drinks, ya look stuck up.” Karen gave him a look at his words before gesturing Luna to come sit with the ladies. 

“My dress looks real nice on you. Should let ya keep it while I’m at it,” Karen compliments with a friendly wink as she takes some gulps of whiskey. “Have a drink?” Mary-Beth hands her a bottle of beer to go with her food. Luna knew what she was doing. Trying to get the ladies that like to drink to keep their attention on her long enough so she could run off and enjoy a book. She’d let it slide of course. She liked Mary-Beth. 

Luna was never allowed to drink when she was living under the Bosses roof, but she knew what people looked like after a few bottles and hoped she had a good tolerance to a few bottles.

Boy was she wrong. Though it did let her loosen up and enjoy herself. 

At some point she ended up dancing silly with Karen and Sean, even getting Tilly off her heinie to dance a little. At some point the trio were belching some old folk song together about beautiful maidens. Though Luna mostly was just humming along and swaying with them. The rest was a huge blur. 

She had just finished taking a leak deep in the forest and on her way back ended up taking a stumble over a tree stump and was a giggling mess in her own little world. Everything was fuzzy and warm as she looked to the sky and noticed the moon was full and bright looking down upon her. 

“Luna?” It was one voice that called out to her though if she wasn’t so drunk she’d know it was two people walking due to the movements in the grass. “Yeeees?” When the person came into view she realized it was Arthur and she immediately rose to her feet to greet him only to come crashing down as her blood flow adjusted to the change in altitude. 

“Nice catch Artur!” She laughs before realizing he didn’t catch her during her stumble. “Oh it’s Charles~ Heey..” Luna looked straight up as she was stabilized by Charles strong arms and smiled goofily up at him. Though once he let go she swayed side to side, exchanging her weight between her legs as she looked between them. 

“Looks like you’ve been drinkin’” Arthur laughs realizing she said his name without the ‘h’. “Mmm, no sir!” she denies pointing a finger at Arthur’s mouth and she could’ve sworn he went to bite it due to the gasp she let out and the instinct to pull it back. It happened too quick for her drunken senses to know if that happened or not. Though the chuckles he and Charles let out somewhat affirmed his actions for her. “You walked quite far from camp,” Charles says from behind her and she realized he had a hand respectively hovering between her shoulder blades in the event she swayed backwards. 

“Well, yeah.. I had to y’know..” 

“I see.” Charles gently guides her away from the tree she stumbled over and just as they were gonna sit where he and Arthur were sitting at and upon sitting down she leaned into Charles more as they descended to the ground. The men both looked at each other as they sat against the log. Eyeing Lunas every move as she got comfortable against Charles’ chest. “I wish you hugged me more.. So warm!” her voice was muffled towards the end due to her pressing her face into him and looked to Arthur. “You look like you need a huug~” and Arthur was just about to put his hands up and decline but she’d already pulled him into one. 

Words couldn’t exactly describe how he felt about the hug. Though he knew he liked it. It was warm and genuine. The kind of hugs Charles gave him when they would part from each other or when they just wanted to share affection. That’s where he could place his feelings. “I missed you guys..” Now that hit a soft spot in Charles and Arthur, making them share a look of ‘awe’ at how sweet she sounded. “Haven’t seen you all week.. Was so busy.. Woooooorking..” She groans feeling how sore her feet really were under the heels. 

“We could catch up now if you want. Wanna hear about our week?” Charles offers closing the space between he and Luna as he put an arm behind her atop the log. “Mhm.” She sits up from where she was against Arthur and leaned back against Charles’ support behind her. 

Luna was listening of course to the men recite how their week went. What they’d done. How they also missed her. What they did together when she was gone and how they felt like something was missing when she was out. 

Charles and Arthur poured themselves out to her figuring she wouldn’t remember most of this anyways. They were just glad to have her back with them. 

At some point she’d fallen asleep pressed into Charles shoulder and Arthur had to point it out since Charles was talking about his search for the berries she’d wanted badly, and upon looking down at her he both admired and chuckled softly. 

Her hair was down and a bit messy, some of it clung to her cheek so he pushed it out of the way to get a better look. Charles’ smile while looking at Luna made Arthur’s stomach churn with some kind of odd love. 

“She’s real kind aint she?” 

“Mhm..” Charles looked to Arthur and leaned forward a little and kissed his cheek sweetly. “I’ve been dying to do that all day.” he admits running lips to the side to catch Arthur’s in a loving kiss. 

“Me too.” 

They both looked down to the sleeping Luna between them before looking back, “I know I ain’t the only one.. That’s confused righ’?” Charles shook his head. “No.. I am too,” Arthur put his hand over Charles’. “Well... I know I love you Arthur.. But I feel something growing towards her.” Arthur nods his head in agreeance. “I know she cares bout’ us both. And would ride with us any day. I’ve been thinking bout’ her differently lately.” Arthur says thumbing circles onto Charles’ hand. 

“But I’m just more worried bout’ if she doesnt even like the idea of us.” 

“We can still be her friends. That love her.” Arthur liked that. “Loving people is one thing. But romantically twice? And then being the same gender? I don’t even know how I feel this way either Arthur. We should just give it time, and let her be the one to reach out.” 

“Agreed.” Arthur says 

“I’ll go take sleeping beauty to her tent.” 

Luna woke up with a groan immediately rolling into a ball with her hands over her face as the pounding migraine came smacking down on her forehead, and the cotton mouth she had didn’t help the way she felt either. She’d risen to her feet to get some fresh water and upon doing so went right back onto her bedroll with an ‘oof’. 

Not only did everything go black with little dots everywhere under her eyelids but she’d lost her balance. She was still wearing what she had on from the con with Hosea and that damned corset. She quickly got ahold of herself and rose to her feet. Water was her top priority. And a bath if she was lucky enough. 

As she was downing a glass of water with urgency Miss Grimshaw seemed to appear out of thin air with reprimands that she didn’t exactly want to hear at so early in the morning about how even if she was hungover she still had to work. Shit she’s heard before. Though she’d never been drunk at camp before. 

“I knooow, I’ll get to-“ 

“Just cause you were treated like a princess yesterday don’t mean you’re one. Get to work.” 

What. 

“Wait what- Miss Grim-“ she’d already walked off to her neck victim leaving her dumbfounded. Luna was repeating her words carefully and she downed another glass of water and once she’d finished her second glass she immediately went back to her tent and realized Mila wasn’t even in there. Panic set in her gut as she ran to Abigails tent first and was relieved to find Mila in it. 

She looked around camp and saw the usual early risers. Hosea and Miss Grimshaw, some of the girls were beginning to wake up and she did not want to be seen all frazzled so she quickly retreated to her tent and prepared her hunting gear and her change of clothes for when she’d get out and bathe. Something about bathing in camp in a wooden tub didn’t seem too amazing to her at the moment. 

Once she’d packed her things she went straight to the horses and started saddling up. Arthur and Charles were there. What fucking luck. Luna did not feel like being seen when she looked god awful and had probably made a fool out of herself in front of them too. Who knows what she did yesterday. She didn’t! 

She was just about to silently ride out of camp when Arthur gave her a whistle stopping her in her tracks. 

Well shit. 

“Where you headin’?” He says approaching her horse with Charles by his side. Charles noticed her hunting gear and added in, “We were gonna go hunting too if you’d wait a moment, we could all go.” 

Luna was hiding her face behind her hair and using the height from the horse to keep her look elsewhere. She didn’t mind going hunting with the two. She quite liked trips out with them, but she was too embarrassed though something told her they wouldn’t judge her for it. So she nodded her head. 

“Sure, can we find a pond afterwards?” 

“Sure.” Arthur says with his accent that tempted a giggle from Luna. She secretly found the way he said certain words endearing. 

Once they’d gotten some venison and a rabbit to eat for themselves for breakfast they made a little camp somewhat right off a pond that had a slow waterfall to it. Luna liked the spot for a quick bathe and was getting her things ready when she remembered she was accompanied by others. 

After setting a quick tent right next to the water she turned to the men who was cooking the rabbit in a pot with some herbs Charles got on the way. For some reason Arthur had a potato in his satchel so they added that too and a can of beans. Not too shabby. 

“While that’s cooking uhm.. I was gonna go bathe so- could you both- look the other way? Till I’m done.” 

Of course they obliged. Luna didn’t know what made her think they’d be any kind of disrespectful towards any requests she’d have about privacy. So far they were very understanding of her, but of course her inners doubts always made her question things. 

“I’ll be quick!” 

Once the men had moved themselves and turned their backs fully to the water she took the chance to quickly undress herself, when it came to her chemise she wondered if she should be careful and keep it on but something told her she could trust them not to turn around and be peeping Toms. 

The huge splash was enough to get them to relax and continue what they were doing at the fire watching the pot roast, and share soft conversation a little of it being about last night and if they were going to bring it up or not with Luna. Though Charles did say to let her come to them, Arthur wanted her to be aware of her falling asleep between them before someone started a rumor. 

While Luna was floating calmly in the pond she quickly cleaned herself since she mostly wanted to enjoy being in a body of water for once that wasn’t a tight wooden tub and surrounded by others that could accidentally see too much. This was soothing her and the migraine from the alcohol of the previous night. And with this relaxation came thoughts and what she’d done last night. 

She was floating in her back as she thought. Luna couldn’t remember much dialogue but she remembered what she felt and for some reason it was love and warmth. It made her rise from the water with a little panicked breath as she realized what she’d done. If Arthur and Charles told people- if someone saw them sitting together like that- she’d be seen as the gangs whore. What would Mila think of her. 

Sunk deeper into the water past her shoulders and silently wept as she was swept into a tornado of torn emotions and thoughts. For the first time in a while she didn’t have a solution for this. She always had the answer to something. But she didn’t have one for this. 

After washing away her tears she held in the sobs that threatened to come out when she glanced at the men’s backs as she walked back to the tent she set up by the water for her to change in privacy. As she dried herself her eyes began to burn hotter than the roast over the fire and her throat tightened so much so that she had to let out the sob that was being held back. 

She didn’t want to throw her feelings aside. But she didn’t want to be judged. She was already judged as it is. She knows the odd stares, the chatter about her actions she couldn’t control, how she was so double standardized with her hot and coldness to touch. 

When she’d heard footsteps crunching under the gravel toward her tent she put a hand over her mouth and held it in as much as she could, but she couldn’t help the sharp intakes if breaths and shaky exhales. 

“You alright?” Arthur’s voice called a few feet away from the tent. 

“Y-Yes. Just cut my toe on the gravel.” Nice excuse. 

“Huh. Well. Okay, breakfast is ready when you are.” He didn’t buy it one bit. He’d heard those cry’s before. Something Charles had done in front of him when he’d expressed how lost he felt and how he’d had no purpose or direction. They’d found one together that night. 

Luna finally got dressed after sitting and weeping fiercely in quiet in the tent. Her hair was damp and left down, and she’d finally gotten riding pants during the week and fresh boots. So, the two by the fire did stare a little at her outfit but it was mostly glued to her face that she was trying to hide. Puffed eyelids, rosy cheeks and lids, lips bitten till red from trying to bite back the weeps. They remained where they sat though despite wanting to immediately go over to her after she’d grabbed some of the rabbit stew for herself. 

It was dead silent. Just like last night when she’d crossed so many lines. She felt so sick. Not even wanting to finish her chews or even look up and meet either of those sets of eyes. 

They’d waited and waited. Waiting for her to just say something anything. They weren’t ones to pry, but they were fighting off the want to. She just kept opening and closing her mouth looking like she wanted to say something. It went on like that till Arthur cut the silence. 

“Luna.” 

She hummed shakily in response, eyes glued to her empty plate that was prodding at the bones of rabbit. 

“Did I.. Did we do somethin’? We ain’t look at you swear on my life if that’s what yer’ thinkin’.” 

She shook her head and shut her eyes so tight she saw the atoms shine behind her eyelids. 

“Why can’t you look at us?” Charles cuts in and his voice sounded hurt so hurt it made Luna flinch. 

“I just-“ She looked up at them both and saw the look in their eyes. Begging her to tell them what’s wrong. Luna looked away after a few seconds and could hear them shuffle to stand and make their way towards her. “Don’t! D-Don’t come over here.” her voice cracked 

“Luna.” Charles’ voice was the softest he’d ever heard and Arthur’s was filled with concern. 

“You can’t ignore it. Whatever it is you’re crying about.” 

“I-I made a fool out of myself! And you’re both acting like I didn’t! I bet the whole camp knows I was cuddling up two men like a goddamn w-whore!” That’s when the held in tears started to fall down her cheeks. “I don’t know why- But it felt, it felt good. Between you two. But that’s- that’s not right, I just- I don’t know anymore. I don’t know anything apparently about feelings.” She started furiously rubbing at her cheeks wishing it’d all just stop. “And I’m a fool for thinking either of you would even- would even..” she stopped herself there feeling heartbroken that nobody would ever or had ever loved her like that. 

Before she’d known it the two were in front of her hesitant to lay a hand on her, “Would even what?..” Charles asks brushing hair out of her way. She was telling herself to run from the touch from that feeling but she couldn’t, and found herself leaning into his hands. Arthur had taken both her hands as a rear ended up falling down his own cheek. 

“I’m scared.. To say it.. It means accepting it.” Luna says finally looking them both in the eyes. “Whatever it is.” 

“Maybe we’ll like what it is.” Arthur’s words made her blush as she got what he was insinuating. That maybe they did feel the same love for her, that theyd figured they loved each other. 

“I think.. No.. I feel.. strong love for you both.” Luna admits with a small hiccup as the shake in her voice began calming, tears an after thought after Charles began wiping them away. The tremor of fear in her heart that shook her hands calmed by Arthur’s caress over them. 

“Was hopin’ you’d say that sweetheart.” She just about melted a little at the name from Arthur. 

“Well said Arthur.” Charles teases before looking back at you. 

“Now that you know how we feel about you.. And each other.. What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know.” She answered that quick, but eventually added. “Maybe a hug for now?” Arthur of course couldn’t help a soft chuckle at that, but nonetheless smiled just like Charles and pulled her in for a tight satisfying hug that made her release a huge sigh of content and relief. 

“We don’t gotta label it nothin’.” 

“I don’t think theres a label for this anyway Arthur,” Charles comments before leaning on his shoulder. 

Luna was still fully emerged in the hug and didn’t find it important to add to their conversation. That is till she looked up at them both with a wide smile. 

“I love you.” 

The ride back was quiet but it wasn’t confused, or tense quiet. It was at peace quiet. There wasn’t a single bad vibe in their bodies after what had happened. In the truest sense they all felt like they were in a dream, and that this all was make believe. That they weren’t in some way or form in love with one another. It wasn’t a quarry for one person. It was all together. As love should be. 

Charles had gone off to do his own thing after giving the duo a nod, and dropped the deer off to Pearson to butcher. While Arthur and Luna were left to tend to the horses now even though it was usually Kieran who did it. 

“So.” 

“So?” Luna questions turning to face Arthur. 

“I think it’d be best to keep what we are a secret.. Charles and I are already a huge one, and I can’t imagine if people found out you loved two men.. Besides nobody but us is included in this, it’s just me you and Charles at the end of the day.” He was right. But that didn’t mean she didn’t fear judgement. She’s nothing but a walking contradiction to many. 

“Alright. I’ll be my usual self.” 

“Atta’ girl.” 

“Arthur? Dutch needs to talk to you bout’ something.” Kieran says mid run towards them. Meaning he didn’t hear anything. 

“Just back and already back to workin’. I’ll see you later Luna.” 

“Yeah. See you.” Luna smiled extra sweet towards him but quickly cut it out when she remembered Kieran was there. “Whatchu lookin’ at?” 

“Nothin’ ma’am!” he awkwardly smiled at her, he was harmless. 

“M’just messing with you.” She jokes before walking off to leave him with the horses. 

Maybe things were going to begin to look up from here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wHeeeewwww is all I’m gonna say. the pot is beginning to stir now.


	7. The light before the storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a beautiful surprise for Luna with a starry filled night, an unexpected parley is offered by the O’Driscolls. One can hope it goes right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve been working on this for a while! and really hope i enjoy this. I wanted this to be one chapter instead of two. It just felt right to be two! 
> 
> This is going to b vv lengthy so i would get a snack at the ready. 
> 
> i rly hope u all enjoy this as i did. 
> 
> if there’s any huge errors pls lmk so i can fix it! 
> 
> AND i finally downloaded Red dead and am now on Chapter 2!!! So i might be doing some cool stuff with little bits now that I’m going to be having in game knowledge!!! 
> 
> E N J O Y

“So, no to flowers?” Charles asks hovering a bag of jelly beans over Milas head who was tempted to just snatch them from the man with how he much he was prodding at her for answers about Luna. 

She groans, “Why don’t you ask Luna?” He took a knee and clutched the jelly beans in his hand. 

“Well, it wouldn’t be a surprise if I asked her.” Then she gasped in excitement before giving him a scowl. “What about me?” 

“I didn’t say I *didn’t* have anything for you.” She gave him a look filled with skeptics before giving him an answer. “Dunno.” 

“What?” 

“I don’t know what flowers she likes! Maybe seashells? Can I have the candy please?” Right. Thanks for the rundown sweetheart. 

“Alright here. Remember not to say I asked you.” 

“Uh-huh!” She says before giggling like a villain who’d accomplished her plot as she ran away with the tiny bag of jelly beans to most likely share with Jack. He only put max four in there. 

Charles had taken what Milagro said to heart and realized they weren’t exactly by any beaches and knew that the beaches that were nearby weren’t filled with any special seashells no one hadn’t seen before. But then Arthur had made a fair point about Luna and how she wasn’t exactly an easy book to read. She liked to travel light, only necessities. 

“It’s a little cliche but.. Maybe a picnic?” Arthur turns back to Charles after finishing the rest of his beard up. “You can set it up since yer’ real good at making things look nice, and I’ll just bring er’ to the place.” 

They’d both agreed on it. Now was just packing and planning. And getting the worked to the bone woman free for once and making sure Mila was alright with them borrowing her sister for a day trip and if she wanted anything from the trip. 

Thankfully, Mila had done a great job of keeping the surprise quiet so when her and Arthur were making it to the picnic campsite she gasped in surprised with the brightest expression he’d seen her make all week. Apart from when Mila had shown her a little dance routine she was making up and forcing Jack to do with her. 

“Oh, Arthur— Charles,” the sun was just about to set, but Charles had lit the candles securely around the perimeter to set the calm mood and made sure to burn some sage to rid of any unwanted guests and bugs. Plus it smelled quite nice and cleansed the energy around the area. 

Once she’d gotten off her horse she looked around and soon laid her eyes on the set out blanket on the ground with a big basket of what was presumably food and drink. 

“You didn’t have to-“ 

“Oh but we did.. Seen how tense you’ve been all week n’ thought this was a good idea. Charles did all the work though-“ 

“You came up with the idea Arthur.” He gives credit where it was due before reaching a hand out to the two so they’d sit with him. It was secluded enough to not be seen by possible passerby’s and was hidden under a beautiful weeping tree. 

They’d gotten all the goodies for tonight and even fresh blueberries that Charles knew Luna had been craving for the longest. 

“Mm’s’good!” She hums chowing down on some charred roasted chicken. It felt nice to know they’d went out of their way to get meat that wasn’t from the wild. 

The men were enjoying themselves as well as they ate together. A delicious meal that had flavor and drinks that were somehow kept cold by ‘Gods grace’ as Dutch called it. It was simple root beer nothing that would make their night unenjoyable the next day. 

“That was so good.. Thank you,” Luna heaves a breath of content and lays on her back before switching to her side after a moment of staring at the purple skies as it transitioned to the calm deep blue to the black of the night. When she’d looked to them they were already looking at her and it briefly made her wonder how long they’d been looking as they talked about the meal and how Charles made it. 

Arthur was done eating next and stacked his plate with Lunas before standing to adjust himself so he could sit closer to Luna. “Lemme take a look at what’s so great bout’ the sky..” he wheezes a little before laying by her side. Off to the side Charles was smiling around his utensil looking at the two. 

“Cirrus..” Luna mumbles to which Arthur turned to look at her to elaborate. 

“That’s the name of the clouds in the sky,” she smiles sweetly, “My favorite kind.”

“Where you learn bout em’? You went to school?” Arthur asks glancing to his side as Charles cleans up the area, about to join them. 

“No, I read about them myself.. Used to steal books from the families-“ She bit her lip realizing she was about say something she didn’t feel like speaking about. “Used to steal books from a library and read them like crazy.. Nothing else I wanted to do but read when I was able to.” Charles had sunk down on the other side of Luna with a little breath, and right when Arthur was about to ask what she was going to say before that she spoke to Charles. 

“You like books Charles?” 

Charles shrugged, “I’ve seen books. Never been too entertained for long.” 

“Oh.. Sorry, I-I didn’t know,” She apologizes feeling like she was rude for that. Asking if he liked reading, when he had told her he wasn’t traditionally educated. 

“It’s okay. No need to be worried.” He smiled to her before turning back to the sky. “They look like.. Angels..” Charles says remembering a picture he saw in a book. 

“Wow, you’re right Charles..” 

“I saw an Angel real close couple weeks ago..” Arthur brings up with a sneaky side smile. 

“Really?” Luna believed in spirits, both good and evil. So she didn’t doubt Arthur could’ve seen something. 

“Yeah.. Said her name was Luna then passed right out.” 

Luna snorted loudly before softly hitting at Arthur’s chest, “Hey!” even Charles let out a small one realizing he was speaking about Luna. 

“He isn’t lying.” Luna groaned in fake annoyance as she hid behind her hands, “You are beautiful.” Charles had reached a hand out to move a stray hair out of the way and she’d instinctively leaned into his hand as Arthur grazed his own over Charles’ knuckles as he caressed her cheek. 

“So are you two..” 

Arthur was going to deny this, but he knew the two would snap back quickly in denial about his statement. So, he just floated on the comment like it was a prayer and went to lean on his hand. 

Charles had sat up a little to hover over the two and gave Arthur a kiss on the cheek since he couldn’t help it especially with how heartfelt he looked. Luna felt like she might’ve been intruding on a private moment and looked away beginning to sit up so she wasn’t ruining it for them. Though she couldn’t help but blush furiously at the thought of them kissing and one of them possibly kissing her. 

She obviously knew things. What couples usually did. But this was different. Obviously they were together long before she’d entered the picture. So, it made sense there probably— possibly we’re things she wasn’t included in or meant to see. Luna was still new to this and was just trying to be respectful and not be booted for making a wrong move. 

“Is that not something okay with you?” Charles mumbles realizing she’d moved away from between them, and she’d jumped a little at the sound of his voice. 

“No! No, no.. I just.. Didn’t wanna be in the way is all,” Luna said as she turned back to face the two and met concerned faces. 

“What makes you think yer’ in the way?” Joins the two and sits up fully as well, and could feel the air around Luna. She wanted to be included, but wasn’t ready to. 

“I- I.. I don’t know where I stand by you two exactly.” 

“Luna.. It’s not us two and you, it’s us we three.” Charles took her hand in his and brought Arthur’s into the mix. “You’re not on the sidelines. You’re not in the way.” The lump under the throat finally went away but the welded tears in her eyes didn’t, and Arthur and Charles hoped they were ones of happiness. 

“You two are so.. Caring and— patient with me..” She wiped at her tears with a laugh, “Only person that’s showed me so much care was my family..” She trailed off for a moment to wipe her other eye. “I don’t want this to end.” 

“Me neither.” “Me too.” 

They all embraced in a tight warm hug and ended up laying back down on the picnic blanket, and ended up falling into that silence again till Luna asked them about how they both came to even be together in a world like this.

“Well.. I think Arthur would like to tell that story,” 

They got back to camp the following morning and were donning beautiful warm smiles, John had laughed upon seeing his brother with a goofy smile on his face. Charles and Luna had to stifle their laughs as they trotted past John who was on guard duty. 

“What’s making you smile silly Arthur? Finally got that stick out of your ass?” 

“Oh christ’s sake shut up John.” The smile went away quick but the little stifled laughs he heard in front of him brought it back just a bit. 

As the three were hitching their horses Kieran had come up to Arthur, “Arthur?Micah needs to see you now-“ When Kieran had said it with too much demand Arthur gave him a look that made him cower just a bit. “I mean- That’s what he said not me- Sorry-“ he clarified before running off. 

“Well. Duty calls.” As Arthur was walking off Pearson was going toward the tent saying murmuring about the O’Driscoll’s and Colm. 

“Huh. Interesting.” 

Luna agreed quietly, “Could you check on Mila for me, I’m gonna go speak to Hosea.” 

“Hosea-“ 

“Dutch I think it’s possible- Possible to have peace with the O’Driscolls” says Pearson as he trailed behind Dutch. Luna didn’t like the sound of it one bit as she searched for Hosea. “Hosea. Pearson is talking about some sort of ‘truce’ with the O’Driscoll’s-“ 

“I hear them from here, loud men.” She stifled her chuckle at that last bit. 

“A parley? Sounds like a trap.” He says from where he was seated with his book and it made all the men by Dutch’s tent turn around towards Luna and Hosea. 

Hosea’s words got Dutch’s brain turning as he took in everyone’s words. Micah and Pearson’s encouraging battling Hosea’s. The group followed Dutch as he walked toward the table the two were at. 

“It’s a chance we gotta take.” Micah says behind Dutch. 

“I killed Colm’s brother. Long time ago.”  
Hosea rose from where he was sat making Luna back up from where he was seated. There was a long pause between Dutch’s words and Luna could see the regret fall on his face. “Then he killed.. A woman I loved dear.” Luna winced a little at his words knowing how it must’ve felt to see someone die because of your own actions. 

Micah hummed, “As you say... It’s a long time ago Dutch.” And leaned onto the table with a look in his eyes trying to get it into his head that this could be a chance to get one less thing off the gangs back. So they could just worry about the law and not some other gang. Those words seemed to be enough for Dutch as he threw his cigar to the ground and nodded his head.

“Let’s go. You and me. With Arthur protectin’ us. No one else.” Lunas observation skills were scary enough. But she got a feeling he wasn’t including Hosea for a reason. One she couldn’t explain. But it had to do with that look in his eyes after bringing up someone he loved dying because of him. 

But what about Arthur? 

“No. No. No wait—“ Hosea pulled at Lunas forearm to face him. “Luna, it’s going to be alright- But Arthur-“ Hosea nodded his head. “I know, I know, But he is a big boy he can handle himself. If push comes to shove he’ll get out of a pinch.” Then Luna realized what she was doing and quickly pulled herself together. Fuck. She didn’t need Hosea knowing about them. “I know- But Hosea you and me both know this could go wrong-“ 

“Like I said, he can handle himself.” Luna had walked off with a pep in her step to catch up with Arthur before he caught up with Dutch and Micah. “Arthur please. Be careful. Please- I don’t have a good feeling about this- It’s making my stomach sick. Don’t go-“ 

Arthur stopped in his tracks and pulled Luna to the side behind a tent. “I know. But Dutch said-“ 

“Screw what he said!” She whisper yelled and her words made Arthur’s eyes wide in shock. Luna grabbed at Arthur’s hand squeezing it like he would dissipate right in front of her. “Arthur—“ 

“Arthur?! Come on boy!” Dutch’s voice could be heard from behind Arthur and he didn’t know what to say to Luna. He wanted to listen to Hosea and Luna. But he had to do what he had to do. And who knows maybe it would go right like Dutch and Micah thought. 

“I’ll be back before you know it, I promise I’ll come back.” He squeezed her hand back before walking off to catch up with Dutch and Micah. Arthur left her there behind the tent torn up inside as she watched him ride off with the men. She hadn’t felt so sick with this feeling in such a long time.

“Luna?” Mila spotted her sister after the men had ridden off, she was now walking toward their tent. 

“Yes, baby?” Luna sat down in a box in front of Mila who was about to put her book to the side. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“Im just..” Luna sighed dramatically, “Sad I haven’t been given a hug— oof!” Mila had already stood up and ran straight into Lunas chest to hug her tightly. Luna could tell she was trying her hardest to give her a big hug and laughed at how silly she looked. “I feel so much better after that strong hug,” Mila smiled at the word strong.

“Good! I call that hug, the ‘bear hug’” Luna held in her words about it already being a thing and just nodded her head with a face of amazement. “What a good comparison, you been reading so much.. I bet your brain is getting real powerful,” 

“Why don’t you read for me? Go grab that book,” Mila went to grab the book and as she sat up in Lunas lap she realized something. “I didn’t get you that.. Where’d you get it?” She asks with concern since she knew Hosea didn’t have any new books to give Mila just yet. 

“Charles gave it to me! Gave it to me before you went out to play,” she comments leaning against Milas shoulder. “Oh really? And I guess he gave you those jelly beans too?” Mila snapped up to look at her sister realizing she may be in trouble for eating candy. “You’re not in trouble Mila just asking you.” 

“Oh, well yes he gave me candy too,” Then she added on realizing she basically ratted Charles out. “Oh wait! I wasn’t supposed to tell you he gave it to me-“ 

“That’s okay,” she giggled “I’ll be hush about it- Now how about you read this new book to me.” 

For a while, Mila had read to Luna about Jack and Jill until their Jack at camp had come over asking politely if Mila wanted to play with him, and after giving Mila permission they had went off to play. 

Luna wanted to keep busy and distract herself from her worry and fears, so she began sharpening her blade with the block her father had given her. That is till the sound of footsteps beside her brought her out of her concentration. 

“He ended up going.” It was Charles and she could feel the worry in him too. 

She sheathed her blade and set it to the side, “Yeah.. He did..” Luna stood up patting her hand down on her pants. “Can we take a walk please?” Charles nodded his head and lead the way. 

Once they got out of sight of anyone Luna hugged Charles tight as the fear bubbled up again in her stomach. “I’m worried too.” Charles murmurs as he wrapped his arms around her and held her just as tight. “But he’s strong. I know he’ll come back to us.” 

“I know- Everyone’s been fucking saying that.. I’m just.. I just got you both and I don’t want to lose you.” Charles heart swelled at her words since he knew where it was coming from. And he knew if it was her or him Arthur would think the same. 

“All we can do now is wait and hope Luna.” 

It had been hours since they’d left and Charles was on guard duty at this time of day so she knew he’d see Arthur first. Though when Luna had finally heard the hooves of horses entering camp it sounded like they had one few horse. 

“Please no... No..” she whispered to herself as she turned the corner towards the horse and when she didn’t see Arthur her heart began to have tremors and she couldn’t breathe properly. She quickly found Charles and ran as fast as she could. When he heard footsteps coming he turned to her eyes filled with worry and glazed. Of course he asked where Arthur was and Dutch didn’t have an answer for him. 

“Charles! Charles— What did he say?!” 

“Said they didn’t know where he went.. When they went to the point of meeting up he didn’t come.” Luna covered her mouth as she tried to calm her breaths. “Hey. We still have a few hours to wait. Maybe he’s on his way now—“ 

“I knew I shouldn’t have let go of him- I should’ve fought- I should’ve-“ Charles pulled her in for a hug as his own eyes burned. “No. There’s no should’ve Luna. We wait. And if he’s not back tomorrow morning then we bring it up.” 

Dutch was in no hurry to find out where Arthur was. Even after he had a shoot out with Colm and ran off barely with Micah back to the meeting point to wait for Arthur. And when he didn’t come they guessed he’d gotten into a scrape and came back to camp. But they were wrong. 

And Luna was sick of waiting. But what could she do? What could Charles do? They didn’t have a place, an area, anything to track. No leads. What could they do other than ride for hours in the meeting spot Dutch said they went to and scream out for Arthur. Which was exactly what they did. For the whole day. Looking for trails that got washed away by the rain. Dead ends.

It was midnight and Luna and Charles’ voices were coarse still calling out for him till Luna burst into tears as did Charles. Feeling absolutely defeated as they rode back into camp empty handed, reporting to Hosea they couldn’t find any kind of lead. Hosea too looked like he would cry. But he wouldn’t at least not in front of Charles and Luna who walked away in shambles. 

On the fourth day, Luna was trying to hold on to any kind of hope. Mila could see there was something wrong with her sister and knew it was because her friend was missing. She missed Arthur too. He used to bring her little nick-nacks he’d find out on his travels and or robberies, she didn’t know about that part though. 

Luna had just finished praying and was letting her incense burn out when she heard hooves riding into camp by her area of camp. 

Please. Please. Please. 

She stumbled out of her tent quickly and squinted her eyes since it was nighttime. All she could see was a man-less horse and was confused as she clutched her tomahawk on her hip, and then she spotted him. Slumped over and falling off his horse. All she could hear was her heartbeat in her ears as she ran as fast she could to his side. 

“Arthur..” Her eyes were beginning to burn, but she’d cried so much these past couple days they were all out of juice. Her tone was hurt and worried as she spotted the wounds on him. “What happened? Oh god—“ 

“I need help! Somebody help!” She screamed as Arthur reached out to hold her hand that cupped his cheek. 

“What’s wrong Luna- Oh my!” Mary-beth gasps 

“Oh shit! Miss Grimshaw!” Karen’s eyes widen at Arthur’s state and she quickly ran off to find Grimshaw whereas Mary-beth had gone to find Hosea. 

“How long..” Arthur began a coughing fit before continuing. “How long I been gone sweetheart?” 

“Too long.” She cried as Dutch came towards them with Grimshaw and Hosea. 

“It was a trap! Ugh..” he grunted in pain, “Was gon’ send the law on us!” He released a shaky breath as Dutch put a hand to his forehead. 

“I know Arthur my boy, but you came back to us! We’re you followed?”

“I don’ fuckin’ know- I’m half-“ he wheezed, “I’m half dead!” 

“Well you ain’t dead yet. Help him up will ya?” Luna and Hosea had stepped up to the plate and helped Arthur up and brought him to his bed. 

He looked like he was about to pass out with how winded he was breathing and his look trailing back and forth between him and Hosea. 

“Luna. Would you sit with the man.” 

“Gladly.” 

“Grimshaw get some supplies for the poor boy we need to clean him up.” 

“You’re safe now Arthur.. You can rest now.” Luna whispered gently rubbing off some grime on his face. 

Arthur had already been long gone in a deep sleep when everyone had run off to grab things to clean him up and also to grab extra fabrics to give him some privacy for his area. 

Charles had made his way over after hearing the news flow through camp and immediately came over after his guard duty, Grimshaw had already brought medical supplies and rags with water to clean him up while Pearson had brought extra tent material. 

But upon entering the tent he was too late and both Luna and Arthur were in deep sleep. Luna was hunched in her chair looking as uncomfortable as ever while softly holding Arthur’s hand, and at that moment he wished he had a camera that is until he remembered Arthur’s camera sitting on the side. 

After taking an Amateur photo and stuffing it in his pocket, he was thankful he didn’t wake Luna up from the flash and sound. Charles gently shook her awake and swiftly leaned back at her reflex to take a swing. He already got a nice hook to the face one time and learned how to wake her up over time better. 

“Mm’sorry Charles..” Luna whispered before stretching her arms out with a yawn. 

“How’s he looking?” He asks morally just to see what she thought. 

“He looks sick.. Hungry.. And weak.. His grip wasn’t like usual on my hand,” she murmurs leaning against Charles’ stomach from where he stood. He threaded his fingers over the crown of her head finding that if he went past it he would just tangle it more. 

“Looks like it.” Charles affirms taking a glance at the passed out man. He didn’t dwell on what the two could’ve done to get him before all his suffering. They’d done as much as the universe let them. 

He hadn’t realized she was crying till he saw the exaggeration in the rise and fall of her shoulders as she hid her face against his stomach. 

“Luna,” He starts but she was quick to cut him off, looking up at him with her chin resting on his stomach. “I’m just so grateful.. He was strong and came back to us.” 

Charles thought she might’ve been dwelling on her actions. But she wasn’t so he was glad for it. 

“Of course. He promised. Remember?” He chuckles cupping her face in his large hands with his thumbs caressing her high cheekbones. 

“Mhm. I do.” She smiled before rising to her feet stumbling just a little from her feet still waking up. 

“Get some sleep. I’ll stay here for now.” 

A couple days later... 

Luna was busy cleaning up his wounds when Charles had come in to check on the two after finishing up his last chores of chopping some wood and delivering the score he got. 

“Evening.” 

“Hey Charles.” She heaved a breath as she patched the last bandage before turning to face Charles. 

“Just finished up my chores if you’d like to join me for a walk.” 

Luna nodded her head. Of course she’d join him. It was beginning to become a routine. Go for a walk with Charles, spend some time with Mila as Charles watched over the still sleeping Arthur and then she’d bring Charles dinner before switching back. And repeat. With of course their chores being in between. 

But then as they were leaving they heard stirring behind them and paused briefly. Thinking maybe they were just hearing something till they heard it again. 

“Ugh.. Luna? Charlie?” They instantly whipped around and were at Arthur’s side. Charles’ hand over Arthur’s whilst Luna had removed his wet rag from his forehead to allow him to sit up like he wished to. 

“Take it slow Arthur.” Luna says helping him slowly rise as far as his body would let him before he groaned in pain. 

“How do you feel?” Charles asks shifting a little to give Luna room to work with. 

“Just dandy.” he wheezed as he leaned back on the very small padding she set-up last minute. 

“Hey- You can’t be walking just yet. You’re too weak Arthur. Relax please-“ 

“Don’t worry so much I’m- Shit- I’m Alrigh’.” 

“No. You’re not Arthur. Let us take care of you till you heal okay? Please.” Charles states it more than a did ask of Arthur. 

Finally, he was awake. Now he just had to heal from this. Mentally and Physically. Especially after he hears what happened from Charles and Lunas side of the story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> phew 
> 
> now arthur is back! but how is he gonna go thru this? 
> 
> charles n luna will be by his side of course. but now he has a lot of time to think. 
> 
> and heal from this physically and m e n t a l l y


	8. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luna helps Arthur clean up and in the moment something happens..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was writing this the same time as chapter 7, since i felt like it was ended oddly 
> 
> like i have said this is my first story with an actual plot and character building. i hope I’m doing right by Arthur and Charles and trying to interpret their personalities to writing. 
> 
> anyway enjoy this absolute fill of fluff

Two and a half weeks later...

“You’re a real sweetheart Taima.” Luna coos cutting up the rest of the apple to give it to Taima. 

As she was finishing up feeding them she made sure to give ‘Roach’ Arthur’s horse some oatcakes and a nice brushing before going to Arthur’s tent. He was able to sit up on his own now but not fully, and still had some fatigue to himself as he spoke and moved. 

“Morning Arthur..” 

He grunts as he moved himself up as she sat down in front of him. 

“Grimshaw already helped me clean up them bandages already this mornin’ so.. Ya don’t gotta do nothin’ for this old man this early,” he wheezed his little laugh wiping his forehead slowly to not groan at his soreness. 

“Well.. I still would’ve done it anyways,” she smiles sweetly before reaching a hand out to touch his beard. “Wow Arthur.. I thought it was long before but now.. Now it’s wow..” 

“Don’ like it?” He smirks at the question finding it funny that it made her blush. 

“No! not at all. Just think maybe I could clean it up is all.” She began combing her fingers through it a little finding the scratchy sensation to be oddly comforting against her fingers. 

“Really? For me?” 

“Mhm.. If you’d let me, Ive shaved a man before.” Arthur raised a brow at that and she realized it could’ve meant something else. 

“My father Arthur..” she giggled at his expression before standing back up. “He had Arthritis and unsteady hands.. Not exactly the best to have for shaving,” Arthur made his mouth into the shape of ‘O’ at that before shaking his head with a silent laugh as he realized he got jealous over that. “I’ll be back with the stuff don’t you go no where.” 

Once Luna got back with a pail of water and a straight razor with some soap to clean the grime he might have on his face. She sat down setting the pail by Arthur’s side and pulled her seat closer to the cots side. “Gonna need you to face me.” 

“Righ’” 

As she was wetting her hand and sudsing it up with some soap she’d realized he hadn’t put a shirt over his union suit, nor closed it and revealed a little bit of his chest that was covered in some hair that curled. She smiled to herself for some reason finding it cute, but also felt bad he couldn’t take a nice bath. 

Luna had already cleaned up his beard and was now wiping it off with a wet rag, once satisfied with the cleanliness level she’d gotten her clippers out and began trimming what she could. Snipping at the bush that was beginning to grow over his lip and around the bottom to make his hair easier to trim. 

“You’re going to need to be extra still now for this Arthur-“ 

“It’ll be fine-“

“Please. I don’t want to cut you.” 

“Jeez I ain’t gonna break or nothin’.” Luna smiled till she continued and began shaving off his beard. Swiping the excess hair onto the dry rag on her shoulder. She was taking the task quite seriously and was trying her damnedest to not even nick the man, and Arthur couldn’t help but feel something swell at this feeling. How domestic this was. How generous she was. To him and Charles. All of her made him wanna drop back onto the cot and fawn like Mary-beth when she read a certain part in a book. 

She was just about done. Wiping at his clean shaven face with the wet rag with a little soap to get his face extra clean, going down to his neck and exposed chest before wringing it out. Then she noticed she’d missed a spot above his lip and went back to fix it. “Missed a spot..” she mumbled still in that focus and once she’d shaven the bit off after pulling his skin taut to not cut him, lip once bitten in focus released when she’d realized he’d been looking at her so tenderly and longingly. 

“I love you sweetheart.” Luna pulled the straight razor away from his skin and looked back into his eyes. She parted her lips to speak but kept closing it when she didn’t like the words that were gonna come out. And he kept looking in her eyes and down at her lips so much she’d started to do the same and suddenly found the air beginning to get heavier. 

Luna didn’t realize it but she wanted to kiss him so much so that she’d begun leaning in before Arthur did, her hand that had already been resting on his cheek was suddenly held by his own and she could feel every nerve in her hand burn and tingle up toward her arm sending a message straight to her heart. 

“Oh Arthur..” She felt the tips of their noses graze when they’d gotten close enough but she kept her eyes on his lips, sometimes gazing on the hand to his cheek he was holding but always fell back to his lips. “Please kiss me..” her voice was airy and light trying to chase the moment. 

“Oh Darlin’.. I’ve been dying to hear you say that.” Arthur had closed the space between them by pulling her in gently by the side of her cheek. Letting her body follow at its own will fill their lips finally met close-lipped and tooth rottenly sweet. 

When they finally pulled away they lingered next to each other but jumped at the sound of a voice coming towards the tent. Miss Grimshaw. They’d both turned away from each other fully, with Luna cleaning up the shaving mess and throwing the rags in the water for washing. 

“I’m just checking on him Charles! He ain’t doin’ nothing crazy in there— Oh hello dear.” 

Luna was already on her way out when Miss Grimshaw and Charles were at the tents entrance. When she made eye contact with Charles she only blushed harder and bit her lip hard as she walked off in what seemed to be a rush to Charles. After glancing in the tent at Arthur who too had been blushing and now cleanly shaven. 

He’d went to catch up with Luna and gently called her name before pulling her to the side. The pail almost spilling when she got pulled behind her own tent. 

“What’re you running off for?” 

“I-I.. I kissed Arthur..” She blushed throwing the pail down as she ran both her hands through her hair. “It felt right in the moment.. M’sorry if that was rude-“ 

“What makes you think it’s rude?” 

“Well you weren’t there.“ 

“I don’t have to chaperone you just to kiss either of us Luna.” he laughs genuinely while placing his hands on his hips. 

“What did he say?” Charles adds looking up from his boots. 

“He said.. He loved me and it.. It made me feels so.... special Charlie,” She smiled goofily while he hands hovered over his chest before finally placing themselves their as she looked up at him. “I love you, I love Arthur, I love us.” Luna bit her lip to stifle herself from saying anything else as her hands came up to Charles’ collar. “Can I kiss you too? I’ve been so scared to kiss either of you- And now that I’ve done it I wanna do it with you too and I—“ Charles quickly leaned in and took her lips in his and she couldn’t help but let out a mewl of utter dazed-love. Noticing the difference in the kiss but finding no difference in the emotion. She felt so whole and once their lips had slowly parted she kissed him again gently before leaning her head onto his shoulder. Sliding back down onto her heels as they hugged. 

“I love you as well Luna..” He smiled and gently swayed their bodies side to side to the music of nature and the feeling in their bodies that were swelled with love. Luna felt dizzy and heavy yet airy and light all at once, but everything made sense. This made sense. Her place with them was beginning to make sense. Her place in the gang was making sense. Everything was looking up after that terrible storm. 

“I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope u enjoyed pls lmk how you like the story so far as I rlly would like some feedback. it’s kind of what is keeping me going for this story! 
> 
> or if there’s anything you might like to see with Arthur, Charles, and Luna lmk :)?


	9. you, me, and Luna

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hihi! its been.... A while jeez, I'm back from the little break I took from this, (i technically didn't since I actually was just planning out the story and deleted two chapters from this so I could make them way better and have everything play out cleaner.)
> 
> anyway this happens right before Arthur is taken and its kinda just a filler-flashback moment and an excuse for some domestic arthur and charles hehe anyway enjoy this short. the next wont be!

**The night before Arthur was taken…**

Luna was pacing a little towards the end of camp: carrying Milagro in her arms to coax her to sleep. She wouldn’t tell her but she was getting a little too big to be carrying around to be put to sleep but, Luna couldn’t resist the cute way she pawed at her and asked to go for a ‘whittle walk by the shore’. Too adorable for her own good. 

Milagro was having trouble sleeping despite Luna’s soft humming and gentle combing of her hair with her free hand. “It’s okay to sleep Milagro, you’re safe..” The young girl rubbed her hand aggressively over her eyes and pressed her face into her older sister’s shoulder frustrated and tired. Though just when she was about to start fussing Arthur had come out, she’d almost forgotten they were working on a scam in that town with Hosea. She had yet to come in the picture though. 

“She asleep?” He’d asked it softly and Milagro’s fussing gave him his answer. 

“Yeah… Can’t sleep,” Arthur hummed in acknowledgment before clearing his throat. He could see her struggling a little to keep her grip on Milagro, most likely just as tired-- If not more than Milagro who’d mostly just played all day with Jack, done some sewing with the girls aka watch them sew, and her knife practice to whittle wood. Luna was out all day hunting to try and get some money for pelts, even landed a job with some tailor who asked her to model a few dresses for them and got a few dollars from it and clothes when she entertained his romantic buffoonery.

“I can carry ‘er if she’s weighing down on you too much,” Luna of course denied the offer but, he’d said again and Milagro had butted. “I wan’ Uncle Artur to carry me, I feel like I’m falling…” 

Arthur had a smirk on his face, “See, about to drop the poor girl.” Luna rolled her eyes playfully and handed Mila off to him watching him easily scoop her up and easily put her in a comfortable position with one arm. Luna was jealous of his chest space and arm strength-- She wasn’t weak per se but carrying someone with one arm was a little difficult. 

Luna motioned for him to follow her and they walked along the shoreline in silence and smiled sweetly at the adorable sight— Something about Arthur being fraternal was a rare sight and a random thought of having their own child flashed at the back of her mind and she’d almost face-palmed herself in embarrassment. 

“What’re you thinkin’?” Arthur noticed her getting lost in her head and had tapped his left hand against hers to get her out. 

“About you…” Luna laced their fingers together as they continued their slow walk and brought Arthur’s hand up to her face to kiss it. 

Arthur smiled shyly at the gesture and squeezed her hand tighter afterward, “Y’know Luna…” He stopped in his tracks after being cut off by Milagro’s soft snores and they shared a small laugh over it and laid her down in Luna and Milagro’s tent. 

“I think you should come to town with me tomorrow” Luna brushed her shoulder against his arm as they walked and avoided the fire surrounded by the loudmouth drunks, and over to Charles’ sleeping spot a few steps away from camp. “Shore..” She says imitating his accent, “I don’t sound like  _ that _ ... “ Arthur crones and takes steps closer to Luna with his hands on his belt. 

“Oh stop it, yes you do,” She snorts when he just barely pushed into her and made her sway a bit, “Now you’re bullying me?” Arthur wheezed at that, “I can’t touch you?” He meant it as a tease, but it made her blush. 

“Well…” Luna’s hair was in a loose bun so she played with the free hairs for a little. “I never said you couldn’t touch me,” Arthur spotted Charles on duty for watch and used his body to guide her in that direction as they walked. His ears burned a little with interest after what she’d said. 

“Arthur. Luna.” Charles addressed them, waiting for them to close the space between the three as he leaned against the tree in some shade from the moonlight. 

“Hey Charles,” Luna smiled at him and looked behind them all to see if anyone was nearby. “Missed you today, both of you,” 

“Come this way.” He motioned for them to follow him off to the side of the trail from any possible nosy set of eyes. 

“I went out with the girls today for some scamming, I didn’t do any scamming though I don’t catch the eyes as they do, so I was on bodyguard duty,” Luna says pointing at the heat on her hip. “I may not shoot as good as Arthur but I hit my targets,” Charles grumbled. 

“What, I shoot alright! Better with a bow though-” She admits and he shook his head, “You do catch eyes, you just don’t see them,” He pulled out some black currant he had in a leather pouch of his and offered some to the two. Arthur gladly had a few. 

“Oh. Well- I could probably do some scamming if I owned some dresses. And that makeup they like wearing.” 

“Don’t need makeup to catch eyes,” Arthur says throwing the stems of the currants to the ground. She blushed again and shook her head. “Oh hush Arthur..” 

“He’s right,” Comes Charles and she crossed her arms over her chest, “You both are ganging up on me,” She laughed a little pushing playfully at Charles’ shoulder when he gave her that side smile he’d only given Arthur and now her. 

Charles cautiously looked around before pulling Arthur in for a soft kiss, and immediately after he looked to Luna who was standing there with her hands in front of her clasp together. “You’re welcome to come here, Luna,” Luna pointed at herself shyly before taking large steps over to them to join them in the little huddle they formed. “Just- never know sometimes,” She shrugs, hand inadvertently going to Charles’ collar to fix it, his hand met hers there rubbing her fingers against his cheek before using a little force to pull her closer to him.

“You look beautiful Luna,” She shut her eyes when he leaned in to kiss her forehead and she smiled real goofy afterward, “Charlie…” Arthur brushed his hand over her ear to move some hair back and pressed a kiss there. “He ain’t lyin’,” He’d murmured against her earlobe before trailing another kiss to her exposed cheek. Luna was still getting used to the praise, the wholesome praise at least, ones that came from people that liked her and respected her too and expected nothing from her from taking the compliments. She realized she became wired like that, to deny compliments so no one could use it against her or as a way to butter her up--

“Well, I think you’re both handsome,” Luna turned her cheek to kiss Arthur on the lips and was a little jumpy when she felt Charles’ chest against her own briefly, the simple feeling made the skin their burn briefly. “Hear that darlin’? We’re handsome fellas,” Arthur said it against her lips, glancing at Charles who had a sweet smile on his face while looking at the two. 

Somehow Arthur had coaxed her into deepening the kiss at some point and Luna followed with interest right on her tail. “Don’t forget about me..” Charles placed a kiss to her pulse at the nape of her neck and was driven when he heard the small mewl that elicited between her and Arthurs kiss. Luna had pulled away, more like pushed herself away from them, clearing her softly throat as her fingertips kept brushing over her lips, “I should, I should head to bed now, Mila don’t like sleeping alone,” She affirmed looking at them both, “Night you two.” 

“Night.” The two had said it in unison and Arthur looked at Charles. “What happened?” He asked now pulling a cigarette out for the two of them to share. Charles shrugged, “Don’t know. I just kissed her neck, might’ve not liked that, but I can’t tell especially since she, well, you know.” Charles says and Arthur agreed, she did sound excited by it, but they weren’t gonna dwell on it too long. 

“You think she’s not into that?” 

“Who knows,” Arthur says, puffing a little on his cig before passing it to Charles. “We certainly ain’t expectin’ that outta her, I think she should know by now we ain’t like that,” Arthur says leaning his back against the thick tree so he could lean his head against Charles’ shoulder after removing his hat. “True.” Charles agreed, passing the cig back to Arthur. “How’s Mila gettin’ along with the stuff yer’ teaching her?” Charles smiled at the mention of Milagro, “She’s smart, better with words than me, must get it from her sister,” He says thinking back on their conversations. “I give her little things to do here and there, she found these black currants, split em’ with me,” Charles then pulled his hair from behind his back to the front so Arthur could see, “Taught her how to braid better,” Arthur hummed, “That ain’t exactly my expertise, but I think it looks nice on you, always does,” he admits placing a kiss to Charles’ cheek. “I wanna braid Luna’s hair one day, got so much of it, wonder what I could do with it if she’d let me,” Arthur agreed before turning a look his way, “What ‘bout me? My hairs getting awfully long, you should do mine too,” Charles chuckled before he turned his head and kissed him on the lips, “You’re right, how about this… After you talk to Pearson tomorrow how about you, me, and Luna go for a ride. Just us, and if Luna wants we could bring Mila and Jack, they could use a little time away from the same thing.” 

“I like that idea… You might be on to somethin’,” Arthur says before stumping his cig on the tree and tossing the thing.

“I’m gonna get some sleep, you should too.” Charles stumbled a little when he was pulled back for another deep kiss, and gladly returned the passion. 

“Night Charlie,” 

“Night Arthur.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter will take place in the present


End file.
